THE LIBRARY OF THE 
UNIVERSITY OF 
NORTH CAROLINA 


THE COLLECTION OF 
NORTH CAROLINIANA 


Cp352.01 
B37r 


INTRODUCTORY. 


The facts and figures contained in this pamphlet 
are taken from the records of Beaufort County, and 
you are cordially invited to compare them. 


6372 


BEAUFORT COUNTY. 


— 


During the White Supremacy Campaign we were 
told by the Democratic speakers, such as Aycock, 
Simmons and men of their ability, that if the Con- 


 stitutional Amendment was enacted into law there 


would be no longer need of ballot box stuffing; that 
party strife and political hatred would disappear; 
that all issues would be settled at the polls in a 
rational and honest manner, for it would be between 
white man and white man, and that the State would 
blossom as arose. The Democratic speakers through- 
out the State took up the refrain and the campaign 
for the white man was waged as never was a cam- 
paign in North Carolina before. The white man, 
with his superior right to rule, wrote with his ballot 
the verdict of his race. We do not question this ver- 
dict, for it was the white Republican who made this 
verdict possible. 

Ten years have elapsed since that une. and if the 


: prediction of the matchless speakers and the prophe- 


376? oe 


n 
. 


eies of the Democratic papers are ever to be fulfilled, 
we think it time. The prediction that the fight at 
the polls shall be white man against white man is an 
assured fact, but what as to the remainder of the 
prophecy? Has party strife and political hatred dis- 
appeared? We think not, and would call your atten- 
tion to the methods of the Democrats conducting the 
present campaign. Read the screed in the News and 
Observer a few days ago in which the “red shirt’ is 
flaunted, and the dead and buried ghost of negro 
domination resurrected and placed upon exhibition 
for the purpose of threatening the timid voter. Has 
ithe State blossomed as the rose? If creating more 


4 Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. 


offices, increasing salaries, collecting more taxes and 
ruthless extravagance is to be taken for progress, 
verily that part of the prediction has also come to 
pass. 

The motive of this pamphlet is to place before you 
a few facts concerning the increase in salaries of the 
officers of Beaufort County, and the wanton manner 
in which the public moneys have been squandered, to 
show the voters why the debt of this county has risen 
from about $22,000 in 1898 to the enormous sum of 
$69,000 at the present time, notwithstanding the fact 
that the amount of taxes collected has steadily in- 
creased from that date urtil the present time, when 
there is over double the taxes levied that were in 
1898. We submit a table showing the indebtedness 
of the county for the several years, as follows: 


TABLE No. 1. 
Outstanding Indebtedness. 


Date. Date of Finance Com. Report. 

1898. December 5, 1898, including jail and vault, $22,843.21 
TSO.) SITS BO PESO Ge e's c CHMMp eae te pee a Mecano tl nae 21,976.87 
LOOO LUT WSO EEO OI eo.) SHIR RNC GIAM TRG Urea irate ain Hats 19,906.58 
DOOD ame e OP eA OOo: IMR Butane at DO ce cn mn nee 20,830.77 
TROZ eines Don DOOR... \c LU MMemae aligis ola hoe reales inet 19,944.05 - 
POOS AEE as OLE LOS ek. 0' 5: MIMMMMeG NEL, Rode te Re nM A 18,133.50 
VODA NON MLO oo. AIRC etal Conant MN ne 17,840.00 
LOOGUW TTL Oia eee OOS che cca ARN ea oes eee i 14,392.00 
LONG: WENN MBO MA SOG ESS. MR! Uiling he tie eriy ian 14,900.00 
ROG i DALES OL ROG) Gia) ts; og mmm Ce OU Se Nea Mele he 12,500.00 
OOS MUNSON TL OOS hi.) MRR eer a $14,500.00 
Borrowed from bank since report.... 6,500.00 

Contracts outstanding and unpaid.... 48,577.00 


—— 69,577.00 


From the above table you will see the variations of 
the public debt each year during the nine years ot: 
Democratic rule. When the Republicans. retired from 
office December 5th, 1898, the incoming Board of 
Commissioners appoited a firance committee to im- 


Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. 5 


vestigate the financial condition of the county. The 
figures used herein are taken from the reports of that 
and subsequent Democratic finance committees on 
file in the office of the Register of Deeds of Beaufort 
County. We invite you to compare the figures for 
these periods. In 1898 the Republicans, on retiring 
from office, left a public debt of $22,843.21, which 
included the unpaid balance on the vaults and jail. 
The Democrats have gradually increased the taxes by 
increasing the valuation of property, as will be shown 
you ile on, but have not decreased the indebted- 
ness during any of these years in the same propor- 
tion, and with the public debt on August 1st, 1908 
of $69,577, have shown their ability to squander 
money. As evidence of this fact we submit the fol- 
lowing tables showing the valuation of property and 
the amount of taxes levied the last year of Republican 
rule and of each succeeding year since that time 
under Democratic rule: 


TABLE No. 2. 


, ; 4 oi 
is as S ra 
e 3 , 
bs a Sa Se 4B Db oe 
HS rt aS s'5 So au £4 
: ihe 4 ao RQ ae ad nS ns 
fed) Qe (eo) cas | o Os os 4 Oo 3S 
| es 3 Sn Se | gen | ke) | Bo 5 
Qa Ay 9) ee ne o) Qe am) = 
898 $2, 687, 395/$9, 665.77 |$2, 447.01 |______ #8, 683.41 |$5, 203.16 $1,545.11 |$27, 544. 46 
899, 5, loo, oo li12, 553.70 | 2,129 56 |... 9, SU 44 G27 Leb 20829) G5) ey: 
900| 3,002, 576)11, 821.52 | 1/ 167.04 |... 9,328, 11 | 5,945.66 | 1,562.45 |... 
901) 3, 266, 482,12, 740. 67 fh 10, 186. 89 | 6,505.63] 1,419.01 {u-.- 
902 3,504, 6X3) 13, 403.57 | 2,304.85 |__-._-_- 10, 857. 96 | 6,895. 58 | 2,363.59 |__.___ 
903 4,593, 793/16,018.37 | 1,375.00 $2, 635. 20 |13, 929.92 | 8,800.53 | 1,625.48 |... 
904 4,604, 205 16, 025, 45 1. 000.00 | 1,244. 46 [14,325.66 | 8,734.23 | 2,867.06 |__.._ 
905 4, 631,857 16, 405, 38 925. 00 | 1,365. 29 |14, 408.37 | 8,952.62 | 2,770.72 |__________ 
906 4,858. 262 16,871.07 850. 00 | 1,289.88 |14, 955.24 12; 21352071 1-984: 60) ke ena 
nil 6, 245, 207) 19, 877.88 | 1,650 00 | 1,283. 14 |18, 863. 42 11, 476.35 | 1,225.20 | 54,375.49 


These figures are taken from the abstract of listed 
and rated taxes as reported by the Register of 
Deeds of your county to the State Auditor. Voter, 


2 


6 Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. 


look carefully at this table. In 1898 the Republi- 
cans levied for all purposes $27,544.46. Nine years 
later the Democrats levied for all purposes the sum 
of $54,375.49, practically double the amount levied 
by the Republicans. If you ask one of these gentle- 
men about this he will say that taxes are no higher 
to-day than they were in 1898. In that he is right, 
but look in the column marked “Property Valuation,” 
and notice the value of property in 1898 was $2,687,- 
595, in 1907, $6,245,207, and you have the answer 
as to where the enormous amount in the increase of 
taxes comes in. In order to procure more money 
from the people by way of taxes, the valuation has 
steadily risen to meet the ever-increasing demand for 
more money caused by their extravagance. Just here 
it would be well to consider: if the Republicans could 
run the county with $25,544.46 and only owe a pub- 
lic debt of $22,843.21, is it not extravangance pure 
and simple for the Democrats to levy $54,375.49 and 
owe a debt of $69,577? Consider this. For fear 
that some one may not properly understand the tax 
levies we have divided the county funds from the pub- 
lic school funds and show you each as follows: 


TABLE No. 3. 
School Fund. 


Date. Gen. Sch. Tax. Unlisted Tax. State Aid. Total. 

1898 $9,665.77 § QO Lui lil) tel sueesl a bara $12,112.78 
1899 12,553.70 QD Aa Ul ak rekavauena rs 14,683.25 
1900 11,821.52 ee SDP 12,988.56 
1901 12,740.67 1) EEA AM PU IVS UAE AT 13,668.89 
1902 13,403.57 QA Se i ilo aamheielare 15,708.42 
1903 16,018.37 1,375.00 $2,635.20 26,028.57 
1904 16,025.45 1,000.00 1,344.46 18,269.91 
1905 16,405.38 925.00 1,365.29 18,965.67 
1906 16,871.07 850.00 1,289.88 19,010.95 
1907 19,877.38 1,650.00 1,283.14 22,810.52 


Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. ie 


TABLE No. 4. 
General County Tax Levy. 


Year. Gen. County. Spec.County. Unlisted. Total. 

1898 $8,643.41 $5,203.16 $1,545.11 $15,431.68 
1899 9,811.44 6,271.11 2,129.55 18,212.10 
1900 9,328.11 5,945.66 1,562.45 16,836.22 
1901 10,186.89 6,505.63 1,419.01 18,111.53 
1902 10,857.96 6,895.58 2,158.35 19,911.89 
1903 13,929.92 8,800.53 2,182.69 24,913.14 
1904 14,325.66 8,734.23 2,867.06 25,926.95 
1905 14,403.37 8,952.62 2,770.72 26,126.71 
1906 14,955.24 12,213.20 1,904.60 29,073.04 
1907 18,863.42 11,476.35 1,225.20 31,564.97 


It will be well since showing the increase in taxes 
to shuw the expenditure of the same: 


TABLE No. 5. 
Expenditure. 


emevetinte) (060)10ne) 30, 1898; soe $10,101.42 
Praeiavy tags) to) June 30,1899... Wooo 11,154.32 
wamerod 26909 'to'sune 30, 1900... ee PUTT U46 
Suey a0 meoOG tO, June 30,1901... ogee oo 15,045.06 
mrneooy touly ta: June 30, 1902... 250 17,666.56 
Beene 90a ntO Une 30,1903... ee 14,426.93 
Beonau toug. tO sune 30, 1904... a 18,928.24 
Senoarwia0e. tO June) 30,1905... hbo 21,366.35 
Pera Toas tOrlune | 50,1906. . 0 secs. oc lk 26,603.79 
mune sUsso0e tovsune 80, 1907... sao 27,298.15 
June 30, 1907, to June 30, 1908....... $37,211.35 
Other contracts outstanding for which 
BOW Warraney 1S) ISSUCH) wc!) ak... cael 48,577.00 
85,788.35 


SCHOOLS. 


The figures contained in Table No. 3 do not em- 
brace the extra taxes collected in Washington, Bel- 
haven, Aurora, Small’s School District or any other 
special taxes for school purposes, but refers to the 
general tax levy of the county for school purposes, 
and does not include the fines and penalties received 
from Justices of the peace and others. Table No. 


8 Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. 


3 shows you that the Republicans only levied $12,- 
112.78 for schools during 1898. That has been but 
a few years ago, and you can remember the length of 
the school term in your district. You do remember. 
The Republicans furnished you that school for $12,- 
112.78 and paid the cost of all the officers connected 
with the system, including the salaries of teachers. 
Look at the table above and you will see that the 
Democrats have taxed you for your part of the $22,- 
810.52 levied by them. Look again and you will see 
that $1,283.14 of this $22,810.52 was received from 
the State Board of Education. To procure this 
amount the school board had to make oath that the 
funds levied by the county were not sufficient to give 
the children four months’ school. This amount was 
donated by the State to make a four months’ term. 
Then compare the term given you by the Republicans 
and the cost of the same with the four months given 
you by the Democrats and the cost of the same. I 
leave you to decide which of the two administrations 
is the more economical. 

But some one will say that the cost of living is 
higher than when under Republican rule. I grant you 
that but ask you this question. Did the Democrats, 
with double the amount of money, double the school 
term or double the salary of the teachers? No. The 
records show it. Then we assert that the Republican 
administration was more judiciously administered 
than the Democratic administration. 


GENERAL COUNTY TAX. 


Tables Nos. 4, 5 and 1 show that in 1898 the Re- | 
publicans levied for general county purposes $15.- | 
431.68, spent for running expenses $10,101.42, and | 
went out of office with a public debt of $22,843.21; | 


Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. 9 


that the Democrats in 1907 levied $31,564.98, ex- 
pended $85,788.35, and owed, August 1st, 1908, $69,- 
577. The comparison is worth your careful con- 
sideration. The Democrats received the county goy- 
ernment from the Republicans with a public debt of 
$22,843.21, with a running expense of $10,000. Dur- 
ing nine years the Democrats have levied and spent 
$216,074.55 in general county taxes and have in- 
creased the public debt $46,733.79, making a total 
cost to the taxpayers of $262,808.34 in the nine 
years, or an average of $29,200 per year. Compare 
this, if you please, with the $10,000 running expenses 
when the Republicans retired from office. Some one 
will inquire how this money was spent. That is 
another story and will require a large space in the 
telling, but we will give you a few illustrations of how 
it separated itself from the public treasury. 


EXTRAVAGANCE. 


When the Republicans were administering the af- 
fairs of the county, the Board consisted of three 
members, who received $2 per diem and mileage for 
services. ‘The per diem and mileage of this Board 
from June 30th, 1897, to December 5th, 1898, about 
one and a half years, amounted to $437.25, as shown 
by the report of the Democratic Finance Committee 


appointed to investigate the condition of the county 


at the time the Democrats assumed control of the 
same. We find upon the record that in 1902 the 
Board was increased from three to five members to 
make additional offices for hungry Democrats. Not 
satisfied with this extra expense on the county, we 
see upon the record that “Extra pay and allowance” 


_ was allowed members of the Board for services, either 


imaginary or real, increasing still more the expense 


10 Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. 


of Democratic rule. Finding that the taxpayers of 
the county submitted to this with little or no com- 
plaint, and feeling secure in the large majority for 
their party in this county, they proceeded to adminis- 
ter larger doses of Democracy to the taxpayers and 
created places for two more of their “faithful” by in- 
creasing the members of the Board from five to seven ; 
to raise their pay from $2 per diem and mileage to 
$2.50 per diem and mileage, and to place the chair- 
man on a salary of $200 per annum. Does it not ap- 
pear to you that this should have satisfied the “faith- 
ful’? who held these offices? But it did not. We still 
see extra allowances to members and a Christmas 
present of $25 each handed over to each member out 
of the public money collected from the taxpayers of 
this county. 

The comparison of the annual cost of each Board is 
contained in the following tables: 


TABLE No. 6. 
December 1, 1898, to December 1, 1899. 


Name, and For What Paid. Amount. 
Thomas H. Blount, per diem and mileage......... $59.30 
Thomas HY Blountwiextranoayes Pes aye Tee eee 50.00 
C. P. Aycock, per diem and mileage............... 87.10 
F. H. Van Eberstein, per diem and mileage....... 64.50 
Wy BURodmMan, actorney ;SAIATY vis 2/54 sere sunilels wiesenre 150.00 

A Ot eeee O.ci 0,  amMmeMnM 2 test aula, ee bt ett Bl ate ae $410.90 


TABLE No. 7%. 
December 1, 1899, to December 1, 1900. 


Name, and For What Paid. Amount. 
Thomas H. Blount, per diem and mileage......... $53.40 
Thomasi Fey D1OUNt; OXtra May siden vei peaks selene 64.00 
C. P. Aycock, per diem and mileage.............. 83.10 
F. H. Von Eberstein, per diem and mileage....... 59.00 


WB Rodman) attorney ;) Beery seins se 'leite ele lols eetanete 150.00 


Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. 11 


TABLE No. 8. 
December 1, 1900, to December 1, 1901. 


Name, and For What Paid. Amount. 
Thomas H. Blount, per diem and mileage.......... $59.30 
Moomias Ty eOUNt: OXCTA) DAY ss. doe we wie alee ed eure 71.00 
G. L. Swindell, per diem and mileage............. 89.60 
B. H. Thompson, per diem and mileage............ 79.50 
Nal ee rOOGIan. Actormey.,. Salary ee oe eu 150.00 
Sy eae PCNA TEU VG RET: DAV 8s ac 5 Waeae eal al aia wo) wel eg ie ue 70.00 

LANs EA | Ue MR SU a $519.40 


TABLE No. 9. 
December 1, 1901, to December 1, 1902. 


Name, and For What Paid. Amount. 
Thomas H. Blount, per diem and mileage......... $55.40 
Pome vet lOUNL EXLTA) DAY. 6. Vallee sls es tule 105.00 
G. L. Swindell, per diem and mileage............. 96.80 
SL IeeWTLEN LONGMAN DAY 6. sc. BUS bec alele dy we deletes 8.00 
B. H. Thompson, per diem and mileage............ 108.50 
Wy COU ROMAD TeaLbtOLTNGY, SAlAary. wees cele e's Ged els 150.00 
Woe eo ECOuiA AIP GXCTH DAV Loic cic. claieleleiula Gl ele ese groves 10.00 

MAT DOMN MTOM VLG IE Tenn SN. sso MAUR Sil tesla tale rabar alee $533.70 


TABLE No. 10. 
December 1, 1902, to December 1, 1903. 


Name, and For What Paid. Amount. 
O. K. Stilley, per diem and mileage............... $91.00 
SR UAMIOY NOMULA DAMA ices ss os Vis ules adie wi e/elaidinte’s 83.00 
T. H. Blount, per diem and mileage............... 53.00 
EeePC LO MENA NU ciscs. . Aaa lke leidaane sole etelg 40.00 
W. T. Hooton, per diem and mileage.............. 63.50 
EMO ORURA MEM i's s oP olde gue sa elders 134.00 
H. G. Jordan, per diem and mileage............... 76.00 
T. M. Midgett, per diem and mileage.............. 66.90 
W. B. Rodman, attorney, salary.................2. 150.00 
W.B 


PREROMEL TELL) WOOCER ERD ULY ois oi a. otal SUR s Oe wie eee 15.00 


12 Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. 


TABLE No. 11. 
December 1, 1903, to December 1, 1904. 


Name, and For What Paid. Amount. 
O. K. Stilley, per diem and mileage............... $87.00 
OOK Stilley. OXtra Day. . eRe anor en nos ate Tinie 104.00 
H. G. Jordan, per diem and mileage............... 70.00 
T. M. Midgett, per diem and mileage.............. 60.80 
T. H. Blount, per diem and mileage............... 53.50 
ee BiOuUnG Nex tral Day 2 Vanes we fs eeeaedk elt eee ine 36.00 
W. T. Hooton, per diem and mileage.............. 56.20 
Witt LOOLOD, “eXtra Day.) MGR U OLR LL iee TU. tea semper 24.00 
Wop. Rodman, attorney, Salary co eau. oe oleae 150.00 
Wii Bo Rodman Oxtra pay wens chee ewine lence eee ee 25.00 

POUR Me acct ita ithe», « 's WIM Tec te! Slur eielhie i cee $666.50 
TABLE No. 12. 
December 1, 1904, to December 1, 1905. 

Name, and For What Paid. Amount. 
Thomas H. Blount, per diem and mileage.......... $59.40 
tnomas (1. Blount; ‘extra Maye eure ln eee 140.00 
G. L. Swindell, per diem and mileage.............. 102.80 
Gale Swindell extra \pay Wengen Wee. eileen 25.00 
Fred Wolfenden, per diem and mileage............ 62.20 
Fred Wolfenden; extra) Daya fee en oft oer ee 49.00 
H. G. Jordan, per diem and mileage............... 74.80 
HG Jordan extra (pay . Vee geeaeo lauds oop sume 67.00 
B. D. Rowe, per diem and mileage................ 95.00 
By DAROWe extra Day...) Vee tee he anata Ce ae 39.00 
WoC Rodman attorney ; ‘Gagary .:c sie ee tee ae mee 150.00 
W.-C. Rodman Vextea (Day Mepis icone eo cere 85.00 

fa) eR RE eae |, SENS aR i eBid Bingen EI a Ua 2 $949.20 
TABLE No. 18. 
December 1, 1905, to December 1, 1906. 

Name, and For What Paid. Amount. 
Thomas H. Blount, per diem and mileage.......... $63.60 
THOMasSvb cas OUNt) OX tT AMM nate ule ecs a ek ue ern 140.00 
G. L. Swindell, per diem and mileage.............. 109.20 
GLa ( SWiNGel EN OX Cra | DAY War eve wa ule ic anid wean ebateTk 20.00 
B. D. Rowe, per diem and mileage................ 99.50 
Bi DeROWSWOxUra Day oo). CMMMR CUO VO ann aes a ye 18.00 


Fred Wolfenden, per diem and mileage 
Fred (Wwolfenden; extra’ payee cc. ene 15.00 


Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. 13 


H. G. Jordan, per diem and mileage............... 77.20 
POTTY PEXLEA. DAY as i... Biel's oat elalaveleda unis 30.00 
MVOC Mead vaALLOTNGY, Salary. Woes iicc cess cee es 150.00 
W. C. Rodman, extra DAY. cece eee e ce teen eee 20.00 

Bee MPO Pe ee lc) fai'a aie) « in) a Set aterminiie. aia sicies eitallie $807.30 


TABLE No. 14. 
December 1, 1906, to December 1, 1907. 


Name, and For What Paid. Amount. 

R. R. Warner, per diem and mileage.............. $153.06 
HG, Jordan, per diem and mileage......5........ 84.00 
SEPP LINCOM LEA DAY oy. sec eins luce vapsieule cowiells 9.00 
Fred Wolfenden, per diem and mileage............ 74.50 
PreagyvoOMrcnuen, OxXtTa PAY... . Wo ekke oe ees eles: 15.00 
Thomas Greene, per diem and mileage............ 103.95 
John C. Oden, per diem and mileage.............. 89.50 
W. A. Thompson, per diem and mileage........... 105.00 
Mier ORD SON eCXtra DAY... . Paes dee ie eibiere 5.1D 
W. H. Stancill, per diem and mileage............. 75.80 
PLES UT G ET A DAY. c cis'e oc Witla «ld ialaislalese era / als ale 14.00 
Mme are, atvorney, Salary: . ON ses ae es 150.00 
eee CRT GMULAVDGY «0. ole o's. « Uitle oo. winlsl'dce a 6. sees oho 112.00 
SEMPRE RTE ofa er ite a) sow MROUN abl O ee lc al'e ailigy ats $992.06 


(The Keeper of the Poor was not forgotten in this 
donation of public money; each year he is paid an 
extra allowance.) The Superintendent of Health 
considered himself a very unfortunate individual in 
receiving only $200 per year, and on account of the 
extremely arduous duties of his office thinks he should 
be paid an extra allowance for vaccinating people 
when the smallpox appeared. In fact, the County 
Commissioners are easy marks for many of the “‘faith- 
ful.” They deemed it necessary to pay for vacci- 
nating all the people any of the doctors could lay 
their hands upon, and nearly $1,000 was fooled away 
in this way. If it was law that people should be vac- 
cinated, why did they not go to the doctor and get it 
done? Why were the taxpayers to assume this bur- 
den? It is as reasonable to provide all the people 


14 Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. 


with medical aid for all purposes as for the purpose 
of vaccination. In this connection it would be well 
to say that some more of your money went by way 
of promoting the Fowle Memorial Hospital. For a 
considerable time this institution received $50 per 
month for the purpose of assisting a worthy cause. 
The records show that while this was being given the 
hospital, the county had to pay extra for patients 
sent there for treatment. A hospital is a good insti- 
tution, but we fail to see why the public money 
should be used for promoting private interests. 

Every person who has had the misfortune to be de- 
feated in a lawsuit in court will remember that the 
bill of cost paid the clerk contained a fee for docket- 
ing, recording, filing, and for every conceivable thing 
the imagination of man could think of or the genius 
of the Devil could suggest, but still the clerk of the 
court was never satisfied. Why should he be? Were 
not others getting an extra loaf? Why overlook 
him? So he goes on drawing from $25 to $63 per 
term for making up the dockets for the Superior 
Court, when the fees for this work were being col- 
lected out of the litigants 

The Commissioners, tinding that the attorneys 
have some little trouble in searching the old records, 
employed another of the ‘‘faithful’ at three cents per 
instrument to transcribe the index. It would have 
been better, had this work been necessary, to have 
employed a good man at a reasonable salary and had 
the work done at half the cost. 

(The most uncalled-for expenditure that every tax- 
payer of the county should resent is the donation of 
$250 per year to a little band of “soldiers,” called 
the “Washington Light Infantry.’ What earthly 
good is this expense? This company has its uniform, 


Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. 15 


guns and ammunition furnished them by the United 
States, and when called out for duty or sent to annual 
encampment, their traveling expenses and service pay 
is given them by the United States, or the State of 
North Carolina; so why should this county invest 
$250 per year in this outfit ?) 


INCOMPETENCY. 


To say that the men who have been handling the 
county’s finances are corrupt would be impeaching 
the character of some very good citizens, and we shall 
not go to that extent, but we will say that they were 
incompetent and grossly negligent of their duties. 
This is a broad assertion, but a view of the facts, we 
think, will bear out the assertion. ! 

The records show that in changing the Washing- 
ton bridge, as contemplated in the new contract, it 
touched a small piece of land belonging to the Rod- 
man heirs, worth perhaps $10. We find the present 
Board starting out with great gusto and authorizing 
its attorney to institute condemnation proceedings. 
This occurred June 2, 1908, but we find at the next 
meeting of the Board, on July 7th, without having 
any report or any action on the part of the county 
attorney, the Board passed an order to pay the Rod- 
man heirs $500 for this piece of land. This action 
was so flagrant an act of injustice on the part of the 
Commissioners that two of the Democratic Board 
saw fit to oppose the passage of this order. 

The law requires that accounts for material, ser- 
vices or supplies furnished the county shall be upon 
the sworn account of the party furnishing same, who 
shall make oath that the items charged therein have 
been delivered, the services performed and the prices 
charged are just and reasonable, and that no part of 


16 Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. 


the same has been paid. In the face of this law, in 
May, 1908, the County Commissioners instituted a 
system of paying out county money unbusiness-like 
and calculated to work considerable hardship and 
ruin to the county by allowing each Commissioner to 
purchase whatever supplies he deemed advisable and 
draw upon the sheriff an order for same. The sheriff, 
in collecting his money for these accounts, never 
specifies what the orders are for, but simply charges 
an order in the name of the Commissioner drawing 
the same and receives his pay accordingly. This 
policy lays the foundation for a system of graft that 
no finance committee in the world could detect, and 
is a violation of the law as above recited. 

The management of the chain gang is left solely to 
the will of the Chairman of the Commissioners and 
appears to be run on very loose business principles. 
Another very glaring proof of the incompetency of 
this Board is the fact that prisoners who are unable 
to give bond are allowed to remain in jail for months 
at the time awaiting the action of the Superior Court. 
In a county the size of Beaufort it necessarily fol- 
lows that a considerable number of prisoners are in 
jail. If due effort had been made a Criminal Court 
could have been established for this county, by which 
these prisoners could have been tried and disposed of 
in such manner that their labor would have paid their 
expense. 

The greatest evidence of the lack of business tact 
and judicious management is shown in the attempt 
to dispose of $50,000 in bonds. We find that these . 
securities were sold to one firm upon a contract so 
vague that when the deal was to be made the contract 
could not be interpreted to the satisfaction of both 
parties, resulting in a rupture of the negotiations. 


Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. We 


Next, we find the Commissioners making an order 
that these bonds in the sum of $50,000 be turned 
over to one R. 8. Neal, holding a contract for the 
Washington bridge, for which the county agreed to 
pay $28,000, leaving him the opportunity to hold and 
dispose of $22,000 of the county paper without se- 
curity or without authority to handle the same. 

Further evidence of incompetency and party preju- 
dice is shown in the following facts: L. G. Caton, a 
Republican, owning 82 acres of land that cost $1 per 
acre with no improvements, was assessed at $7 per 
acre for the same, while W. B. Redditt and L. H. 
Ross, Democrats, owning part of the same tract of 
land, were assessed at $4 per acre. C. A. Caton, a 
Republican, owning 18 acres of land, was assessed at 
$15.30 per acre, while W. B. Redditt, Democrat, 
owning 324 acres of the same tract, was assessed at 
$2.78 per acre. OC. A. Caton, Republican, owned five 
acres of land upon which improvements have been 
placed to the amount of $100, was assessed at $40 
per acre, while L. H. Ross, Democrat, owning the ad- 
joining land, was assessed at $4 per acre. OC. A. 
Tooten, Democrat, owning part of the same tract of 
land with L. G. Caton referred to, was assessed at 
$2.50 per acre. B. W. and B. D. Caton, Republ- 
cans, owned land adjoining W. B. Redditt, whose land 
was assessed at $2.78 per acre, while theirs was as- 
sessed at $14 per acre. Another instance of this un- 
just discrimination is shown in the valuation of 16 
acres of land belonging to Geo. Lee, valued at $50 per 
acre, while D. B. Mixon, Democrat, who owns ten 
acres adjoining with improvements equal to if not ex- 
ceeding that of Lee, is valued at $20 per acre. This 
is a very significant illustration, as the lands in ques- 
tion are only separated by the public road. 


18 Democratic Rule wn Beaufort County. 


It will be seen from the record on September 8, 
1907, the Board of Commissioners entered into the 
special confidence of R. 8. Neal and contracted with 
him to build a bridge across Pamlico River for the 
sum of $28,000; and this contract was entered into 
by the Commissioners without any competitive bid- 
ding for the work, and without any plans and specifi- 
cations being furnished the Commissioners by the 
said Neal prior to fixing the amount of compensation, 
to wit, $28,000. It will be seen that on June 2, 1908, 
somebody’s conscience had been touching him and 
the county attorney, together with a civil engineer, 
were authorized by the Board of Commissioners to 
draw up specifications for plans for the bridge to fit 
the set price of $28,000. This is a rather unpre- 
cedented development in architecture. Usually the 
contractor presents plans and specifications and bids 
in accordance therewith, but in this instance it seems 
that the Commissioners notified the contractor that 
they were going to spend $28,000, and asked him to 
build as nice a bridge as he conveniently could afford 
to build for that price, at the same time saying that 
there was no competition in the matter. With this 
leverage it is safe to say that the contractor did not 
lose any money, and if he did he ought to be tapped 
for the simples. And this same kind of high finance 
made itself apparent also in the case of M. M. Jones, 
who got the contract to build a bridge at Pantego, he 
furnishing his own specifications for the job after the 
contract had been awarded to him. It would seem 
that the Commissioners of Beaufort County have im- 
proved somewhat on the delectable grafters that engi- 
neered the State Building in the city of Harrisburg 
in the State of Pennsylvania, and yet the people are 
requested to kindly cast their votes in the coming elec- 


Democratic Rule mm Beaufort County. 19 


tion to perpetuate in power the heirs and assigns of 
these men and of the Democratic party. 


BRIDGE. 


This same Board of Commissioners have fixed upon 
the taxpayers of Beaufort County a debt of $50,000, 
purposing to issue bonds in the said sum carrying 5 
per cent interest, covering a period of thirty years, in 
payment for the above work of constructing bridges in 
Beaufort County, and yet the voters of that county 
with blind confidence are asked to perpetuate the 
heirs and assigns of the Democratic party in office. 
The interest on this indebtedness is $2,500 per year 
for thirty years, making a total interest of $75,000, 
plus the original bond issue of $50,000, which makes 
a sum total of $125,000 that the voters are called 
upon to fix upon themselves. In addition to this ex- 
penditure will be added the cost by way of commis- 
sion to the Sheriff and the Treasurer of Beaufort 
County the sum of $200 per annum, which makes 
$6,000 more, and swells the grand total to $131,000. 
for an original investment of $50,000. 


PROHIBITION. 


The recent Democratic Legislature of North Caro- 
lina made a vicious and cowardly attack on the rail- 
roads of this State in that it tried to fix the passenger 
rate at two cents per mile, and absolutely ignored the 
freight rates, a much more vital question to the people 
of the State. The railroads rebelled at this piece of 
high-handed usurpation, alleging that the Legislature 
had neither the special knowledge nor the proper 
spirit in fixing the rate of compensation upon the 
railroads. The railroads took their case to the Su- 
preme Court of the United States, which declared 


20 Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. 


such action unconstitutional. But, said the Demo- 
crats, that was a Radical court and nothing better 
was to be expected. Lo, and behold! the Democratic 
Supreme Court of North Carolina also declared the 
act unconstitutional when it failed to sustain the case 
of State v. Green, adjudicated by his Honor, Judge 
Long. Then the bottom fell out in that a Democratic 
court had declared against State Rights and left the 
Democratic party in the middle of the hole. Then 
it was that Gov. Glenn called an extra session of the 
Legislature ostensibly to fill up this hole, and in order 
to divert the attention of the people of the State from 
the miserable blunder that it had committed launched 
upon the State, when no man was expecting it and no 
man demanding it, a State Prohibition Bill which 
succeeded for a time in serving the behests for which 
it was called forth. This State Prohibition Bill was 
the special child of the Democratic party and nobody 
else was directly responsible for this act of high- 
handed legislation save only the Democratic party. 
But it may be pointed out that certain prominent Re- 
publicans favored State prohibition. Very well, in 
1900 the Democratic party brought forward the Con- 
stitutional Amendment which upon its ratification 
eliminated the negro vote in the State, thereby reliev- 
ing the Republican party of a serious incubus in mat- 
ters of political issue. In 1908 by means of this 
State prohibition bill the Democratic party relieved 
itself of its main asset, to wit, the rum sellers. It is 
a matter of common knowledge that nine out of ten 
rum sellers in North Carolina were Democrats. They 
had to be in order to escape punishment at the hands 
of Democratic courts and legislatures. Each rum 
seller in North Carolina controlled a floating vote of 
at least twenty-five men who were furnished with 


Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. 21 


tickets the night before the election, and could be as 
certainly counted upon to deposit these tickets as de- 
livered as could the negroes be counted upon to vote 
in solid phalanxes the Republican ticket. The Demo- 
eratic party did this in the face of the fact that in 
1898 and 1900 the barrooms of the State were the 
places where special caucuses were held and ways and 
means devised by which rifles were placed in the 
hands of citizens and by which red shirts adorned 
persons. Certain Republican leaders in the State, 
alive to the fact that State prohibition was a great 
moral question first, and still further alive to the fact 
that the bill as brought forward would play the devil 
with the Democratic party, did their best to bring 
about the ratification of the said bill. The sequel 
tells the story. The Democratic party is split from 
A to Z in this State because of this unfair treatment 
in disregarding the time-honored custom of local self- 
government in that it allowed Buncombe County, with 
a 4,000 prohibition majority, to say that no whiskey 
should be sold in Martin County which had an over- 
whelming anti-prohibition majority. The lesson is 
so plain that he who runs may read. 

We pledge the people of Beaufort County that if 
they entrust us with the power, as we confidently be- 
heve they will do and as we know they ought to do 
in view of the above facts, as follows: 

1. To administer the affairs of the county on the 
basis of equal rights to all and special privileges to 
none, to the end that the ‘‘people shall rule.” 

2. To lower the present burdensome tax rate in 
Beaufort County. 

3. To equalize the valuation of property based upon 
its true value so that the burden of taxation may fall 


22 Democratic Rule in Beaufort County. 


equally upon the taxpayer according to his posses- 
_ sions. 

4. To improve the present slack-twisted manage- 
ment of the public schools of the said county and give 
it an up-to-date and honest free school adminis 
tion. See 

To reduce the Board of County Commissioners 
from seven to three members, the original number ; 
and we pledge that no Christmas presents will be 
made through fear or favor, reward or hope of re- 
ward. 

6. To restore local self-government in Beaufort 
C a 

To create a criminal court that shall have juris 
ction over all offenses not punishable upon convic- 
tion by more than one year in the penitentiary. 


| 


<= 


FOR USE ONLY IN 


z 

— 
= O) 
(o) 

—~o 
Qe | 
— 
E oO 
& oO 
5 Oo 
s 


THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTION 


UNCPS 52962 


